Battle Torn
by Lecs
Summary: People say love holds the power to fulfill you; to heal you. They left out saying that it can also destroy you, as well. SasuHina, HinaSasu. Inspired by Lems *


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Battle Torn

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by Lecs

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**Author's Note:** This fanfic was inspired by _Lems's_ awesome SasuHina picture, 'Battle Torn'. Check it out on Deviant Art, where the link is on my profile! This chapter is a short prologue/teaser of what's to expect should you continue to read. It's my first time to write something so angsty, so I hope I don't do too terrible a job of it! I'll have chapter one up soon, ideally sometime within the first week of October. It may seem like I'm just starting up stories out of the blue, but don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my other works! I'll get to updating those as fast as I can. I'm about half-way done writing the next chapter to 'The Gentleman', so keep your eyes open. With that said, I wish you guys a happy reading.

**Disclaimer:** Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Summary: **People say love holds the power to fulfill you; to heal you. They left out saying that it can also destroy you, as well.

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Prologue

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They say your whole life flashes before your eyes, in that tiny microsecond of an instant — right before you die.

From your past, to your future; from your mistakes, to your accomplishments — every single little thing is blurred together. Like the fast-forwarding of a scene in a movie clip. You break down bit by bit, knowing that your dreams will never be reached; your aspirations to be left unattainable.

What _could be_, and what _should_ _have been_ cross your mind in that instance.

If she had done things differently, could she have potentially avoided this situation?

One side of her reasoned that it was probable, had she not been one of those ninja assigned to that mission that one day. If she had just taken up the offer to train with Kiba and Shino — two of the people that were still trying to reach out for her, long after she had distanced herself. If she had just seen what _he_ was planning from the beginning, and not let her emotions cloud her sense of judgement.

_If she had simply not cared so much_.

She struggled to breath as a violent cough escaped her lips. Scarlet liquid in a perfect, thin line, slowly trickled down the side of her mouth. The person's hold around her tightened, as she felt a sturdy hand support her back. Another cold hand traced up her arm to grab her wrist, as she felt gravity's pull grow ten times stronger. She felt like she was falling; everything felt heavy.

On the other hand, the other side of her liked to call this all as a cruel hand dealt by fate. In that sense, it made her feel better that this all had a purpose behind it. If her choices were already dictated from the start, then avoiding this moment was surely inevitable. To die for something bigger, in the arms of the one she loved...

_Love._

Yet another thing she couldn't control.

Her vision started to gradually fade, blacking in and out of focus. She was exhausted beyond her limits, and had over-exceeded chakra usage to her strained eyes with the Byakugan. Tears that she had not noticed forming cascaded down her pale face, stinging the right side of her cheek where a nasty cut was open. As the pain inside her chest grew sharper, her hold on the person's neck tightened almost painfully, in desperation.

If she was going to breath her final moments, she did not want to be alone.

"Hinata..." she faintly heard her name whispered in the air. His hand held her so close, so that the right side of his cheek lightly brushed the top of her pounding forehead. Forcing her eyes to focus, it took all of her will power to tilt her head up and look into his steely onyx eyes.

"Stay with me..."

He was hurt too, she noted. Probably in more pain if not just as much as herself. It didn't matter that the right side of his head was smeared crimson by his own dry blood. He ignored his own various cuts and open wounds, as all of his attention was focused into supporting the woman before him. His usual cold and vacant orbs of black abyss were alive with traces of forlorn and frustration. She hoped to God that it wasn't towards herself; but then again, she didn't want him to get worked up on blaming himself either. She furrowed her eyebrows a bit in confusion. This was not his fault, it was far from it. She broke a little more inside at seeing what she had reduced him to.

She barely registered the fact that she was no longer standing on her feet, as darkness claimed her and her eyes began to flutter.

Sweeping her up bridal style in his arms, Sasuke took off in top speed. The plan and the still on-going battle were brushed to the side, forgotten.

"We will make it through this..." Sasuke said, his voice barely above a whisper; but from the way he said it, one certainly did not miss his adamant tone. The _danger_ lurking behind it, as if he'd smite anyone who'd dare refute his claim otherwise.

He was keeping his promise this time.


End file.
